When the truth hidden in the dark finally comes to light, it is often unbearably cruel.
Dian Jiuzhi spiraled into a frenzy, unable to suppress his emotional breakdown. He couldn't even begin to imagine how far Hua Caili and Yun Che had gone. Had they already shared an intimate encounter…?
No. Impossible.
Caili has never even let me hold her hand. How could something like this happen!?
Caili has always been reserved, pure... she would never allow another man to touch her. I have no doubt about that!
Dian Jiuzhi's breathing grew erratic as he desperately tried to calm himself, to convince himself it was all in his head.
But the image of Hua Caili and Yun Che kissing kept flashing before his eyes—and it made him sick to his core.
Despite his normally unshakable self-control, he could barely stop himself from cursing aloud. Though Caili was already his in name, someone else had trespassed in the soil he had long prepared. Yun Che's presence felt like a dagger to the heart—repeatedly trampling on his pride, deep in his soul.
In the inner hall of the Pure Land, a sudden shift chilled the air. The moment the star representing the Star of Sha dimmed and fell, a heavy silence descended on the room.
"H-How could this be…?" Wu Shenxing muttered in disbelief, slumping to the ground, unable to accept what he had just witnessed.
When Yun Che's star had fallen earlier, Wu Shenxing had scoffed, dismissing it as the fall of someone too weak to matter. But now, it was his star that had disappeared—and only now did he truly understand the fear and finality that came with it.
He didn't carry the life-fire of the Star of Sha, so he couldn't confirm if he was truly dead. But the star hadn't returned via the teleportation ring, and all signs pointed to the worst-case scenario.
"Maybe… maybe it was just an accident, like what happened to Meng Jianyuan," Wu Shenyue tried to console him, his voice uncertain. As the other deity of the Star-Moon Divine Kingdom, he too felt the weight of the blow.
The other gods remained silent, their gazes heavy. This could be the first confirmed death of a Son of God. The implications were massive.
Before long, Xianyue returned to the inner hall of the Pure Land, her body severely wounded. Her aura was weak—she was teetering on the edge of death.
"Xianyue!" Wu Shenyue cried out, panic flooding his voice. Gone was the calm composure he normally carried.
The Star-Moon Divine Kingdom, once a front-runner in the rankings, had been dealt a devastating blow in mere moments. First, the disappearance of the Star of Sha. Then, the grave injuries to Crescent Moon. The double loss knocked them cleanly out of the competition's top tier.
"What happened!?" Wu Shenyue gripped Xianyue's failing body and quickly scanned her injuries—there wasn't a single uninjured part of her. The extent of her wounds was horrifying.
Two foreign powers coursed through her—one dark and one violet. Both clashed with her own divine energy, wreaking havoc inside her body.
"It was… God Wuyi from the Eternal Night Divine Kingdom… and the Owl Butterfly… and Pan Buwang. The two of them ambushed me… and Shaxing. They killed him! Not even a bone was left behind…" Xianyue used the last of her strength to utter the shocking truth.
"What!?" Wu Shenyue reeled in disbelief. A death between Sons of God was virtually unheard of—after all, the divine kingdoms were only supposed to compete internally, not engage in lethal fights against each other.
"God… Wuyi… she also stole… our Zi Que… our Zi Que inheritance…" Xianyue forced out before finally collapsing into unconsciousness.
Wu Shenxing and Wu Shenyue's faces went pale. The death of the Star of Sha and the theft of the Zi Que inheritance—it was a devastating blow to the Star-Moon Divine Kingdom.
"Lord Wuming! Lord Qiheng! We demand an explanation!" the two lords of the Star-Moon Divine Kingdom shouted in unison.
"An explanation?" Pan Yusheng sneered. "You're basing your accusations on the ramblings of an unconscious Moon God? Isn't that a bit ridiculous? Let's say for argument's sake that the Owl Butterfly did kill your Star God—so what? The Fog Sea is a deadly place. If you're weak, you die. That's the reality."
Pan Yusheng, though usually cold and aloof, fiercely defended his own. No matter what the truth was, since Pan Buwang was his son, he would never let him be wronged.
"Hmph. Men really are trash—and the Son of God from your Star-Moon Divine Kingdom is even worse than trash," Shen Wuyanye said with a contemptuous smirk. "Wuyi did well. Kill him and move on. In a place like the Fog Sea, accidents are bound to happen. It's no loss if someone like him dies."
"You…!!" Tianxing God trembled with rage, nearly exploding on the spot.
No matter how it was spun, the Star of Sha was dead—and Crescent Moon had witnessed it with her own eyes. The killers were Shen Wuyi and Pan Buwang. That part could not be denied.
"Xing, hold your temper," said Lord Qiongyue, stepping forward. "The Fog Sea's time limit is nearly up. Wait until Wuyi and Pan Buwang return. We'll confront them face-to-face—and no matter what, we'll make sure justice is served for Shaxing."
Tianxing God took a deep breath and slowly nodded. He understood Qiongyue's intent through their silent connection. Now was not the time to act rashly.
The turmoil in the Star-Moon Divine Kingdom left everyone uneasy—especially Meng Kongchan. His sense of foreboding only deepened. The first warning had vanished… but a second one followed immediately after. A voice urged him: if he didn't rush to the Fog Sea now, Meng Jianyuan might end up like the Star of Sha—never to return.
This time, Dreamless God ignored all objections. Without hesitation, he turned and left the Pure Land's inner hall, immediately boarding the Dreamweaver Divine Ship and speeding toward the Fog Sea. Yun Che's spirit ring had provided a rough location—and that was all he needed.
Deep in the heart of the Fog Sea, Yun Che's expression showed a hint of helplessness. From start to finish, he had performed admirably. Though this encounter hadn't gone quite as he imagined, the outcome was unchanged. His objective had been achieved.
"Dian Jiuzhi," he said evenly, "I never intended to keep this from you. But this involves Emperor Yuan. Caili and I agreed to wait until he gave his blessing before making anything public."
He was still trying to reason with the First Son of God of the Abyss, hoping to avoid making things irreparably awkward.
"Hahaha… how ironic. Yun Che, how do you have the gall to say something like that!?" Dian Jiuzhi laughed bitterly, stunned by Yun Che's shamelessness.
"This is all your fault. Caili and I were walking our path together in peace. Everything was perfect. I dreamed of a happy future with her. At this Pure Land Gathering, I was going to formally ask Emperor Yuan to set a date for our wedding!"
"My marriage to Caili should've been celebrated by the heavens! We're the perfect match! But because of you, she wants to break the engagement!?"
I! The Son of God of the Jueluo Divine Nation! The First Son of God in the Abyss! The bearer of the Great Desolate Divine Vein!
Now, because of you, Yun Che, I've become a joke to the entire Abyss!"
"Do you think I can still let you live!?"
Dian Jiuzhi's face was flushed with fury. The storm of emotional shocks had pushed him beyond his limit. He was completely unraveling.
His life had been smooth since childhood, save for a few painful memories. His tolerance had grown from those early traumas. Since awakening the Great Desolate Divine Vein, nothing had ever shaken him this deeply.
Now, the violent emotional upheaval left him utterly drained, his soul heavy with fatigue.
"Love cannot be forced," Yun Che said softly. "Even if I die here today, Caili won't return to you. She may even come to hate you forever. Is that really what you want?"
He had already begun attacking the heart, knowing their battle started the moment he chose to pursue Hua Caili.
"That's not your concern," Dian Jiuzhi replied coldly. "Because you have no future. As for Caili—don't worry. I'll erase all her memories of you… all her pain. Then we'll live happily together, just as it should have been."
His eyes gleamed with twisted clarity. He believed he had found the perfect way to reset everything.
"When I chose to enter Caili's life, I was prepared for anything," Yun Che said calmly. "No matter what happens, I will never give her up. Not in this life. Because she is my true wife—the only wife I will ever have."
"True wife? What do you mean?" Dian Jiuzhi asked in disbelief.
Yun Che looked him in the eye. "Exactly what you think it means."
"Ugh…" Dian Jiuzhi staggered backward, completely and utterly broken.